Compact Vans See Highest Weekly Depreciation

Compact vans claimed the highest depreciation among the 22 vehicle segments that Black Book tracks with a depreciation rate of 1.31%. Among cars, the sporty car segment saw the heaviest drop in average wholesale value, as its average values fell by 0.82%.

The steep depreciation that the compact van segment experienced last week was a noticeable reversal from the week before, when the segment saw the lowest depreication among all vehicles. This week, the star performers within the truck segment are subcompact crossovers and small pickups, which experienced essentially no change in value from the previous week.

Within the car segment, near luxury car values fell by 0.16%, the lowest drop among all cars and a reversal from the 0.89% drop in value the segment experienced the week prior.

Sales of vehicles to commercial fleets from eight manufactures increased 8.8% to 743,210 in 2018, even with a weaker December, on the strength of sales of trucks, SUVs, and vans that accounted for nearly nine units out of every 10 sold.

The average price for used fleet vehicles fell 2% at auction in October, but remained 6.1% higher than a year ago amid a strong month for wholesale prices, according to Tom Kontos, KAR Auction Services' chief economist.

Vehicles from fleet consignors followed the broader used-vehicle market downward in September, as wholesale prices struggled to keep up with last year's hurricane-driven demand and a now robust upstream market, said Tom Kontos, KAR Auction Services' chief economist.